There are only so many variations of biceps curls, but we prefer to discover and milk every last one of them. In our November 2012 issue, we gave you a biceps workout that touched on all the basics: standing curls, incline curls, lying curls, and reverse curls to stimulate the forearms. More than four years later, that concept remains largely intact, only with a few minor (yet noticeable) tweaks.

This time there will be no lying around. Three of the exercises are standing, and the one seated move will likely be the most painful: dumbbell preachers, with which you’ll go back and forth with little, if any, rest throughout. The other key difference in this workout is a greater focus on the forearms, with two non-supinated curling exercises (hammers and cable reverse curls). The one area these two workouts share in common: Both will produce a better set of pipes.

Do the Level Up workout first, then revisit the Straight Up one three to seven days later. Indeed, milk it for all it’s worth. This cow won’t run dry.

STANDING EZ-BAR CURL

LEVEL UP DIFFERENCE:

There’s not a ton of variance between straight bar and EZ-bar curls. Those who prefer EZ-bar typically cite a more comfortable hand position (palms turned slightly in) that reduces stress on the wrists.

DUMBBELL PREACHER CURL

LEVEL UP DIFFERENCE:

From the previous workout, preacher curls essentially replace incline dumbbell curls, but the emphasis is different between the two moves. (Preachers stimulate the biceps short head slightly more, and incline curls work the long head.) The concept of isolation remains the same, though.

CABLE REVERSE CURL

LEVEL UP DIFFERENCE:

The forearms take the brunt of the load, and switching from free weights to cables provides constant tension, which will increase thickness.

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Paige Hathaway

PLEASE READ: Life is your greatest teacher. Annoyance teaches you patience. Abandonment teaches you how to stand on your own two feet. Anger teaches you forgiveness and compassion. Anything that has power over you teaches you how to get power back. Hate teaches you unconditional love. Fear teaches you courage and anything you can’t control teaches you how to let go...

I have learned many things in life from allowing my experiences to shape me. I firmly believe that life tests our strengths and equip us to endure what our future has in store. Heartache, hardship and physical turmoil are all just tests. Life won’t allow us to go through things that it knows we can’t handle. The question is WILL YOU BE STRONG ENOUGH to fight the battle? Will you let the storms of life pass and allow yourself to become a better person because of it... You can let life to be your greatest teacher or you can let life defeat you because of it. ✨🐛🦋 #MondayMotivation

Your right on point, besides persevering through a catastrophic accident I have learned how to forgive more and inspire others that need help.

10 - 1 day 2 hours ago

PLEASE READ: Hmmm Without contradicting you, because I respect you. Maybe we could look at this another way. Life teachers you nothing, life is just time. Your actions over time mould your character. We are obviously here to learn. Abandonment teaches you where to place your love. Anger teaches you how to function with control. Nothing has power over you unless you submit. Hate is an internal justice mechanism, it is perfectly justified to hate injustice or cruelty etc. Fear is a survival mechanism, it is up to us to discern the amount of danger associated with the fear. Ultimately, we can control nothing but ourselves and our actions. We are what we do. There is heaps more...But see ya next time. ♥️

3 - 22 hours 43 minutes ago

Yo gorgeous, how was Cleveland? Did it treat you right. All you had to do is text me and I would have been there. I guess there is always next time... Rawr

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